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Russian GP has 'nothing to do with politics' - Ecclestone

ESPN Staff
October 8, 2014 « Layout for Baku street circuit revealed | Marussia withdraws GP3 team from Sochi »
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Bernie Ecclestone insists this weekend's Russian Grand Prix has nothing to do with politics.

Formula One arrives in Russia for the first time amid a backdrop of international outrage and sanctions regarding the country's conflict with Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin will attend the event according to The Times, but Ecclestone insists there is no political agenda.

"We are happy, the sponsors appear to be happy, so we carry on," he told The Times. "No one has spoken to me about this race or told me that we cannot go. The sanctions do not affect us and what we are doing is not illegal.

"The Russian people asked us to come here and that is what we are doing. We are putting on a grand prix. This is nothing to do with politics. As I have always said, we do not do politics. We are in Sochi to race."

Practice for the Russian Grand Prix starts on Friday.

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